The IRS Makes a Strange House Call on Matt Taibbi
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Democrats are denouncing the House GOP investigation into the weaponization of government, but maybe that's because Republicans are getting somewhere. That includes new evidence that the Internal Revenue Service may be targeting a journalist who testified before the weaponization committee.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan sent a letter Monday to IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen seeking an explanation for why journalist Matt Taibbi received an unannounced home visit from an IRS agent. We've seen the letter, and both the circumstances and timing of the IRS focus on this journalist raise serious questions.
Mr. Taibbi has provoked the ire of Democrats and other journalists for his role in researching Twitter records and then releasing internal communications from the social-media giant that expose its censorship and its contacts with government officials. This effort has already inspired government bullying, with Chair Lina Khan’s Federal Trade Commission targeting new Twitter owner Elon Musk and demanding the company “identify all journalists” granted access to the Twitter files.
Now Mr. Taibbi has told Mr. Jordan’s committee that an IRS agent showed up at his personal residence in New Jersey on March 9. That happens to be the same day Mr. Taibbi testified before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government about what he learned about Twitter. The taxman left a note instructing Mr. Taibbi to call the IRS four days later. Mr. Taibbi was told in a call with the agent that both his 2018 and 2021 tax returns had been rejected owing to concerns over identity theft.
Mr. Taibbi has provided the committee with documentation showing his 2018 return had been electronically accepted, and he says the IRS never notified him or his accountants of a problem after he filed that 2018 return more than four-and-a-half years ago.
He says the IRS initially rejected his 2021 return, which he later refiled, and it was rejected again—even though Mr. Taibbi says his accountants refiled it with an IRS-provided pin number. Mr. Taibbi notes that in neither case was the issue “monetary,” and that the IRS owes him a “considerable” sum.
The bigger question is when did the IRS start to dispatch agents for surprise house calls? Typically when the IRS challenges some part of a tax return, it sends a dunning letter. Or it might seek more information from the taxpayer or tax preparer. If the IRS wants to audit a return, it schedules a meeting at the agent’s office. It doesn’t drop by unannounced.
The curious timing of this visit, on the heels of the FTC demand that Twitter turn over names of journalists, raises questions about potential intimidation, and Mr. Jordan is right to want to see documents and communications relating to the Taibbi visit.
The fear of many Americans is that, flush with its new $80 billion in funding from Congress, the IRS will unleash its fearsome power against political opponents. Mr. Taibbi deserves to know why the agency decided to pursue him with a very strange house call.
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And they are blatant about it too!
Since when does the IRS send an agent to an individuals home to personally tell them that the IRS has issues with their tax returns? Isn't that something that is normally handled thru the mail? Sure seems like they were trying to send a message and it wasn't about tax returns.
My thought exactly. However our conclusions are different. I'd like to see evidence that this "tax agent" even exists, and that he actually showed up.
Someone like that shows up at my house, and I would assume it was a con job, since the IRS doesn't work that way.
It would be a con job; except Taibbi provided Congress proof of his 2018 tax return being rejected; as well as his 2021 tax return being rejected twice- the second time with an IRS authorized pin #.
If it was a scam how would the individual(s) even know which years to reference on the notice? Unless they have a mole within the IRS. Either way this doesn't reflect well on the IRS; nor Democrats.
That was pretty much my thought when I first read the article. Either Tabbi's lying, Tabbi got conned or some overzealous IRS agent is going to be unemployed. I'm sure the populists in the House will continue to make campaign donation fodder off it for at least 2 more years though.
Really? Twice now? Has the agent with that pin number OR his superior been subpoenaed to testify in the committee? None of Jordan's other sources has panned out, he should jump on this one...
If you didn't read the article- it isn't just Taibbi- it is his tax preparers as well. But I am sure they are all lying.
As for Jordan- no leftists will ever believe a source that proves Democrats ever did anything wrong.
"Big Brother Rules- bow down and obey!" The DNCP.
That would makes sense IF the accusations are legitimate. Who at the IRS has been subpoenaed to testify? Other than "suspicions" what do we have? I want facts. IF the IRS is targeting Taibbi and others then heads should roll, but so far all I hear are suspicions or coincidental timelines. So lets get someone in there to confirm or deny the accusations. I mean if this is MORE than just an overzealous agent then it wouldn't be difficult for Jordan to parade them in front of cameras. So far all he's done is send a letter to Janet Yellen... where are the subpoenas?
EDIT: If the charge for denial was suspicion of identify theft AND the tax preparers tried to e-file the same return twice would you NOT expect the IRS to ask the preparers questions?
Gee, Maybe just maybe Jordan isn't a grandstanding bitch like the Jan 6 committee or like that piece of crap Swalwell or Schiff, and has given them the courtesy of responding via written response so it doesn't turn into another DNC circus before resorting to subpoenas.
HAHAHAHAHAHA! I needed a laugh this morning, thanks!
It appears that is accurate based on his behavior, but laugh away.
Your fake ignorance of Jordan's behavior is pretty funny. It's almost as funny as Jordan's effectiveness in finding the Dems weaponized government against conservatives. The only debate going is if this committee is more 3 Stooges or more Keystone Cops? What is not debatable is how much Jordan, McCarthy and company are making in donor cash off outraging their voters.
Raising cash worked so well for Dem Jan 6th Committee why not for Republicans on a dems are screwing conservatives committee? The resulted outcome of both of these committees looks to be the same...
The committee lost what little credibility it may have had when it decided to interfere in Trump's alleged arrest with NY DA Bragg. The committee tried to force itself into a situation where it had no legal standing, all at the behest of Trump's lawyers.
This may be the first time a House committee is forced to investigate itself, in how it was turned into a governmental weapon to protect republicans and prosecute democrats..
They didn't have any credibility to begin with. Zero, nada, none... It was only formed because McCarthy's ego to be Speaker was bigger than his honor and he had to capitulate to the morons in the party to get there.
Well we all know that won't happen, but will happen is the Dems will use it to generate outrage on the left to drum up votes and donor cash, like they did the overturning of Roe in the mid-terms.
Bragg told Jordan and Comer to take their letters and shove up their turd pipes. Pretty much the same as I'm expecting Yellen to do with the letter she just got from Jordan.
What false claims?
I'm happy to help!
I know you have issues with the English language, but could you please point out where I said that they'd succeeded in interfering? Just because they "decided" to interfere does not mean they were successful.
Remember, "trying" to rob a bank is as illegal as successfully robbing a bank it.
I never made a claim the interference.
I'm not Ozzwald.
You chimed in also, which means (by your logic) that you liked my comment as well. Gosh thanks Texan.
Democrats/leftists wonder why those on the right don't trust the federal government; or their attempts at increasing the power of it
Democrats need to stop taking lessons from the CCP.
Something about this story stinks, and no don't ask what it is ... conjecture leads to a cliff.
Yet another case of the right hyperventilating about nothing; like Taibbi’s twitter files dud. In the past few years, identity theft with tax return filing has increased by 45%. Scammers have discovered another way to steal, and the IRS is trying to stop them. You know, so you get your refund! I got one of these letters. I emailed my accountant and he said a few people got them and to simply call the IRS. I called and, a few minutes later, the possible identity theft issue was resolved. Matt Taibbi refuses to talk about this at all, probably because the ‘agent’ who delivered this letter was the postman. While the IRS is required to make first contact in person for serious problems, this isn’t one of those. Let’s see how the IRS responds.